(a) Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a bicycle frame including a drop-out for mounting a wheel to the frame.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A conventional bicycle frame is formed of a head tube, a seat tube, a top tube, a down tube, a seat stay, and a chain stay.
A steering handle or handle bar connection body is connected to an upper end of the head tube. A front wheel rotation connection body is connected to a lower end of the head tube. A saddle connection body is connected to an upper end of the seat tube. A chain driver is connected to a lower end of the seat tube.
The top tube and the down tube connect the head tube and the seat tube for supporting the head tube and the seat tube. The seat stay and the chain stay support a rear wheel rotation connection body and the seat tube by connecting the rear wheel rotation connection body and the seat tube.
The bicycle frame includes both the top tube and the down tube, but a main tube may be connected between the head tube and the seat tube as necessary.
The conventional bicycle frame is manufactured by cutting a top tube, a down tube, and a seat tube, respectively, using a tube as a main material, and respectively welding them. However, productivity is deteriorated and production cost may be increased because the manufacturing process is difficult to automate.
Thus, recently, a study on improving productivity in manufacturing of the bicycle frame has been conducted by performing hot stamping on a plate material and bonding the left and right portions thereof together.
Further, conventionally, a metallic chain is used to transmit torque of a crank to a sprocket of a rear wheel. However, recently, a belt has been used to reduce noise and weight.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only to enhance understanding of the background of the disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0023604 discloses a prior art bicycle frame.